Admission standards

University admission in Netherlands

Official minimum entry requirements and the school system, from the country's UNESCO classification and national sources.

Official entry requirements

As classified by the country with UNESCO (ISCED 2011), reference year 2020. Universities may set higher requirements.

School-leaving qualification (upper secondary)

Senior general secondary education2 years, from age 15
Minimum entry: Completed lower secondary (ISCED 244)
Awards: senior general secondary education
Senior general secondary education for adults1 years, from age 16
Minimum entry: Completed lower secondary (ISCED 240)
Awards: senior general secondary education

Bachelor's or equivalent (first degree)

Professional bachelor's degree programmes4 years, from age 17
Minimum entry: Completed upper secondary (ISCED 354, 344)
Awards: Bachelor's degree
Academic bachelor's degree programmes3 years, from age 18
Minimum entry: Completed upper secondary (ISCED 344)
Awards: Bachelor's degree

Short-cycle tertiary (diplomas)

Associate degree programmes2 years, from age 20
Minimum entry: Completed upper secondary (ISCED 354, 344)
Awards: Associate degree

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), ISCED 2011 mappings (country file). CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UIS terms).

School system (official durations)

Primary: 6 years from age 6
Lower secondary: 3 years from age 12
Upper secondary: 3 years from age 15
Compulsory education: 13 years
Tertiary enrolment (gross): 86.6% (2023)

Data year 2025. Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), https://api.uis.unesco.org/api/public, extracted 2026-11-10. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Licence.

Regulators and quality agencies

European Association for Public Administration Accreditation (EAPAA)Listed by INQAAHE
Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO)Listed by INQAAHE
Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (ACEEU)Listed by INQAAHE
International Board of Certified Trainers (IBCT)Listed by INQAAHE
SNRO (SNRO)Listed by INQAAHE

From INQAAHE. Network membership is not government recognition: confirm a body's role with the education ministry.

Universities and colleges

132 institutions in Netherlands

All countries